NFL TV schedule news/tidbits and new TV rule that could affect Dolphins

Here are some other nuggets on what you can expect to see this fall with America’s most watched television programming:

• Two signs of respect for the Dolphins: The Sunday night, Nov. 5 home game against Oakland is only the Dolphins’ second appearance on NBC’s Sunday night football, the league’s marquee package, since NBC acquired rights in 2006. The other: September 2010 against the Jets. (But the Dolphins/Raiders game can be flexed out under a new rule, as we explain below.)

Also, last year the Dolphins’ Thursday night game at Cincinnati was relegated only to NFL Network. This year, Miami’s Thursday night, Oct. 26 game at Baltimore, will be one of five games on both CBS and NFL Net.

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CBS’ new lead analyst, Tony Romo, is expected to work those games with Jim Nantz.

The NBC-only Thursday night games: Chiefs-Patriots on opening night Sept. 7; Seattle-Arizona in Week 10, Tennessee-Pittsburgh in Week 11, Washington-Dallas in Week 13, Giants-Redskins on Thanksgiving, New Orleans-Atlanta in Week 14, Denver-Indianapolis in Week 15 and Pittsburgh-Houston on Christmas at 4:30 p.m. (followed by an Oakland-Philadelphia ESPN game on Christmas night).

These Thursday games were relegated only to NFL Net: Houston-Cincinnati in Week 1, LA Rams-San Francisco in Week 3, Buffalo-Jets in Week 9, Chicago-Detroit in Week 15.

NFL Net also has one Sunday morning game (Minnesota-Cleveland on Oct. 29 from London), a Bears-Lions/Chargers-Chiefs doubleheader at 4:30 and 8:25 p.m. Saturday Dec 16, and an Indy-Baltimore Saturday night game on Dec. 23.

Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier talks about the upcoming draft and the importance of players being tough, competitive and loving football but character is just as important when they look for potential pick.

As in past years, flexible scheduling will be used in Weeks 10-15 and 17.

But this is new: In Weeks 5-9, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In Weeks 5-15, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday, Saturday or Monday nights.

So all of this means Dolphins-Raiders is at risk of being flexed if NBC and the NFL choose.

Here is NBC’s full Sunday night schedule, with an asterisk meaning games that can be flexed out:

Sun. Sept. 10 Week 1 New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

Sun. Sept. 17 Week 2 Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons

Sun. Sept. 24 Week 3 Oakland Raiders at Washington Redskins

Sun. Oct. 1 Week 4 Indianapolis Colts at Seattle Seahawks

*Sun. Oct. 8 Week 5 Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans

*Sun. Oct. 15 Week 6 New York Giants at Denver Broncos

*Sun. Oct. 22 Week 7 Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots

*Sun. Oct. 29 Week 8 Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions

*Sun. Nov. 5 Week 9 Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins

*Sun. Nov. 12 Week 10 New England Patriots at Denver Broncos

*Sun. Nov. 19 Week 11 Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

*Sun. Nov. 26 Week 12 Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers

*Sun. Dec. 3 Week 13 Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks

*Sun. Dec. 10 Week 14 Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

*Sun. Dec. 17 Week 15 Dallas Cowboys at Oakland Raiders

Sat. Dec. 23 Week 16 Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers

*Sun. Dec. 31 Week 17 TBD

• Here is ESPN’s schedule:

Sept. 11 6:55 p.m. New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings

10:15 p.m. Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos

Sept. 18 8:15 p.m. Detroit Lions at New York Giants

Sept. 25 8:15 p.m. Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals

Oct. 2 8:15 p.m. Washington Redskins at Kansas City Chiefs

Oct. 9 8:15 p.m. Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

Oct. 16 8:15 p.m. Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans

Oct. 23 8:15 p.m. Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles

Oct. 30 8:15 p.m. Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

Nov. 6 8:15 p.m. Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

Nov. 13 8:15 p.m. Miami Dolphins at Carolina Panthers

Nov. 20 8:15 p.m. Atlanta Falcons at Seattle Seahawks

Nov. 27 8:15 p.m. Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens

Dec. 4 8:15 p.m. Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

Dec. 11 8:15 p.m. New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

Dec. 18 8:15 p.m. Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dec. 25 8:15 p.m. Oakland Raiders at Philadelphia Eagles

• Here’s your Thanksgiving lineup: Minnesota-Detroit on Fox at 12:30; Chargers-Dallas at 4:30 on CBS and Giants-Redskins on Thanksgiving night on NBC.

• For South Florida viewers, here’s your lineup for the first Sunday of the season (Sept. 10): Tampa Bay-Dolphins at 1 p.m. on Fox, Seattle-Green Bay at 4:25 p.m. on Fox (assuming Fox assigns us that game over Carolina-San Francisco), Indianapolis-Rams at 4:05 p.m. on CBS and Giants-Cowboys in prime time on NBC.

Here are some Dolphins nuggets from my post earlier today, including draft notes.